On Monday 20^th May, Mulberry Academy Shoreditch were honoured to host the prominent Prince’s Trust Annual Mosaic Iftar 2019 at the school. Iftar is one of the religious observances of Ramadan and is often done as a community, with Muslim people gathering to break their fast together. The Street and the Library were appropriately transformed into a magical space fit for any special celebratory occasion. Mosaic was founded by HRH the Prince of Wales to connect young people from deprived Muslim communities to relatable role models to help increase their confidence and improve their chances of fulfilling their potential. The event brought together influential leaders from diverse backgrounds including senior government officials, philanthropists, successful business owners and charity bosses to celebrate the achievements of Mosaic, its ambassadors and the positive impact the programme has on students’ lives.

Mrs Holden, Executive Principal, officially opened the evening and a particularly lovely moment of the night was the meeting between Mr Ali, a teacher at the school for nearly 30 years and Sheikh Aliur Rahman, Chief Executive of the London Tea Exchange in Brick Lane. Sheikh Aluir is one of the school’s alumnae and it was the first time he had returned to the school since leaving many years ago. He had no idea Mr Ali was going to be present and was clearly moved by this very special encounter.

John Booth, Chairman of the Prince’s Trust paid tribute to the many ambassadors and supporters of the charity, as well as mentioning how important the Mosaic programme is to HRH the Prince of Wales. Students Fares (Year 9), Jahan and Freddie (Year 10) were great ambassadors for the school as they took to the stage and wowed the audience with a short presentation that eloquently communicated the transformational effects of Mosaic on their everyday lives – and their futures. Some of the UK’s key influencers joined the ‘To See Is To Believe’ interview panel led by students Ranya (Year 10) and Afis (Year 12). The panel included Asad Ahmad, BBC London News Presenter and Mosaic Ambassador, Sheikh Aliur Rahman, Dr Rimla Akthar MBE, FA Council Member and Dawood Gustave, CEO and Imagination Officer at Reluctantly Brave. Mr Ahmad noted that the two students definitely had a career in TV due to their confidence and expert interview techniques!

Our CEO, Dr Ogden, spoke passionately about the changing needs of young people in our communities and the work of the Mulberry Schools Trust that ensures all students receive the high-quality education they deserve. Shabir Randeree CBE, Chair of Mosaic and Trustee of The Prince’s Trust gave a summary of Mosaic’s ongoing work and future ambitions. The evening ended with Imam Mohammed Mahmoud OBE from the East London Mosque leading the call to prayer ahead of the meal.

 

On 29^th April students in Year 10 and 12 joined Mayor Sadiq Khan in attending the prestigious Asian Women of Achievement Awards at the London Hilton Hotel, Park Lane. The awards are coordinated and hosted each year by Women of the Future, an organisation founded by British-Asian entrepreneur Pinky Lilani CBE, to raise the profiles of inspiring women, commend their work, and provide opportunities for them to mentor girls at school. The AWA Awards showcase inspiring women from Asian backgrounds, introducing our students to a powerful network of role models.

On Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th December, the Mulberry Schools Trust (MST) held the 27th Global Classrooms London Model United Nations (GCLMUN) conference at the International Maritime Organisation, the only UN organisation with headquarters in London. GCLMUN is part of the UNAUSA’s Global Classrooms MUN programme and MST is proud to be leading the largest schools programme in the UK for this worldwide network. The bi-annual conference involves a pupil-led Secretariat and brings together hundreds of pupils from across the country, including all schools within MST. 

Pupils played the role of Ambassadors in simulations of UN committees to build an understanding of global challenges through debates and resolution writing. They were equipped with co-operation, leadership and public speaking skills, and developed as confident global citizens. Using the Universal Declaration for Human Rights as their guiding work, they considered how the international community could tackle different forms of discrimination, focusing on refugees, the LGBTQ+ community and indigenous peoples. 

Mulberry School for Girls and the Mulberry Schools Foundation is partnering with Jude Kelly CBE for a two-year residency as ‘Thought Leader’. Over this period, Jude will lead a total of six Mulberry Think-ins to generate, communicate and celebrate young people’s ideas and priorities for achieving a gender equal world.

A series of three events will generate, communicate and celebrate young people’s ideas and priorities for achieving a gender equal world.  Mulberry Think-ins extend serious debate about issues facing girls and women globally to young people and adults whose voices are less usually heard. Inspired by Jude Kelly and her invited contributors, participants will collectively generate ideas and solutions that will enable more girls and women to reach their true potential as individuals and leaders.